CNN office evacuates while live on air after ‘explosive’ package intercepted at New York office

The U.S. Secret Service says agents have intercepted packages containing “possible explosive devices” addressed to former President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. (Oct. 24)AP

Poppy Harlow and Jim Sciutto were interrupted while anchoring the news Wednesday morning when a fire alarm sounded because of a reported suspicious package sent to the Time Warner office.(Photo: @ellievhall, Twitter)

CNN’s New York office eerily evacuated Wednesday while on live television.

Shortly after 10 a.m., Poppy Harlow and Jim Sciutto were forced to leave the Time Warner building while anchoring and sharing breaking news of suspicious packages sent to the Clintons and Obamas.

Live on air, what sounds like a fire alarm can be heard. Staffers are seen walking out of the building in the background. Then, Harlow interrupts a source to say they’ll need to take a break because of the fire alarm.

Later, Harlow and Sciutto called in from the street to update viewers on their status after walking down six flights of stairs out of the building. Sciutto tweeted there was an “explosive device” sent to the office. Harlow, while trekking across Manhattan with staffers, said she believed all of her CNN colleagues evacuated safely.

Sciutto said the package did make it inside the building, but was flagged during a routine screening. He shared an image of a “containment vessel” heading to the office by truck. At least one street outside of the office was blocked to traffic.

A U.S. official reportedly told the Associated Press that investigators believe the explosive sent to Clinton is linked to one found Monday at the Bedford, N.Y., home of liberal billionaire George Soros. The official wasn’t authorized to speak publicly about the investigation, and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The Secret Service said it has launched a criminal investigation into the incidents.